The document outlines digital marketing essentials for 2021, emphasizing the rapid digital transformation accelerated by the pandemic. Key trends include a focus on mobile-first strategies, the integration of AI and chatbots, and the increasing importance of video content and sustainability in marketing efforts. Brands are urged to adapt to consumer expectations for immediate responses and to embrace new technologies and interactive content to enhance customer engagement.

1. DIGITAL
MARKETING
E s s e n t i a l s f o r 2 0 2 1

2. “DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATION”
h a s b e c o m e a p o p u l a r b u z z w o r d
s i n c e M a r c h 2 0 2 0 .
The digital revolution accelerated in 2020 due to
the pandemic that forced us to move most of our
activities to the online environment, from meetings
with loved ones to business events. Digital
platforms, including e-commerce, chatbots, email,
apps, artificial intelligence, predictive analytics,
omnichannel marketing and augmented and virtual
reality are among the evolving technologies that
help brands continue their business and provide
customers with quality experiences.
In 2021, d i g i t a l a c q u i r e s e v e n m o r e
v a l u e s and embraces our daily life more and
more, in all its aspects.
A r e y o u r e a d y f o r t h e c h a n g e s
a h e a d ?

3. Since the spread of the pandemic, mobile usage has increased,
with 4 6 % a m o n g U K c o n s u m e r s a s w e l l a s 3 9 %
a m o n g U S c o n s u m e r s confirming they have u s e d
t h e i r s m a r t p h o n e s m o r e during periods of lockdown.
I n 2 0 2 1 , b r a n d s n e e d t o t h i n k " m o b i l e f i r s t „
Online presence through websites and landing pages must be
responsive, and communication through social media channels
must take into account elements such as low attention span and
viewing on small screens.
MOBILE FIRST

4. ECOMMERCE IS
GROWING
Not only has the pandemic increased in demand for
eCommerce in 2020, but according to GlobalWebIndex, 4 9 %
o f a l l i n t e r n e t u s e r s p l a n t o s h o p o n l i n e
m o r e f r e q u e n t l y even once the pandemic is over.
Online shopping no longer takes place today only on intended
eCommerce platforms, but also directly on social media
platforms - Facebook and Instagram. And certainly, 2021 will
bring both an improvement of the already existing sales
environments, and the emergence of new online trading
options.

5. When consumers have a question, 8 2 % w a n t a n
“ i m m e d i a t e ” r e s p o n s e .
With so many chat options today, and with unlimited
access to brands on multiple platforms, today's
customers don't accept that with so many options, they
can't get a quick answer to their questions - 7 9 % o f
c o n s u m e r s a r e w i l l i n g t o u s e m e s s a g i n g
a p p s t o g e t c u s t o m e r s e r v i c e . Brands must
always be accessible and with prepared answers.
MARKETING BECOMES
CONVERSATIONAL

6. I m a g e a n d v i d e o f o r v i s u a l s e a r c h e s a n d v o i c e
a c t i v a t e d s e a r c h becoming the norm should be the way brand
approach SEO in 2021.
As voice search has also been integrated into many of our everyday
tech devices like smartphones, laptops, tablets and more with S i r i ,
G o o g l e H o m e a n d A l e x a , 2021 might bring a shift in how
people prefer to access Google information.
If we consider the fact that the future of search is voice, then
marketers must be cognisant of this trend and choose keywords for
SEO optimisation that are compatible with what people are
accustomed to asking a virtual assistant. Keep in mind that people
don’t use the same keywords when they talk as when they type!
This means that in 2021 you should start adapting your SEO strategy to
incorporate speech keywords.
SEARCH IS NO LONGER TYPED

7. AIM FOR
GOOGLE POSITION 0
P o s i t i o n z e r o r e f e r s t o G o o g l e ʼ s “ f e a t u r e d
s n i p p e t ” , and 2021 SEO marketing trends are prioritizing it
above all else. The featured snippet works differently than other
search results entries - for one thing, it’s separated by a small box
and located at the top.
More importantly, it also displays extra, relevant information with
the attempt at answering the user’s question without them
needing to click on it, prompting the nickname “ n o - c l i c k
s e a r c h .”

8. AI and ML will develop rapidly in the next period in
response to the need for companies to find solutions
both for constant and efficient communication with
customers, and for facilitating processes that can be
automated with the help of artificial intelligence.
Gartner projects that 3 0 % o f b u s i n e s s e s w i l l
i n c o r p o r a t e a r t i f i c i a l i n t e l l i g e n c e (AI) into
their sales processes in 2021.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) &
MACHINE LEARNING (ML)
“ M a r k e t i n g w i l l b e c o m e a m o r e
e v e n p l a y i n g f i e l d a n d y o u ʼ l l
h a v e n o c h o i c e b u t t o
USE AUTOMATION.”
___
N e i l P a t e l

9. More recently, the use of chatbots has expanded, and they are
being used in creative ways to help drive customer
engagement and website traffic. Chatbots are not going
anywhere and we will only see them becoming more prevalent
as time goes on. T h i s A I - b a s e d t e c h n o l o g y u s e s
i n s t a n t m e s s a g i n g t o c h a t i n r e a l - t i m e , d a y
o r n i g h t , w i t h y o u r c u s t o m e r s o r s i t e
v i s i t o r s .
Surveys show that chatbots will power 8 5 % o f c u s t o m e r
s e r v i c e b y 2 0 2 0 a s 6 3 % o f r e s p o n d e n t s
p r e f e r m e s s a g i n g a n o n l i n e c h a t b o t to
communicate with a business or brand.
Top benefits of chatbots are 24-hour service, instant responses
to inquiries, and immediate answers to simple questions.
CHATBOTS FOR
CUSTOMER SERVICE

10. 5G TECHNOLOGY
“ 5 G w i l l e n a b l e a f u l l y -
m o b i l e a n d c o n n e c t e d s o c i e t y
- UNLEASHING HUMAN
AND TECHNOLOGICAL
POSSIBILITY,
a n d f u e l l i n g b u s i n e s s a n d
f i n a n c i a l o p p o r t u n i t y .”
___
A s h a K e d d y ,
I n t e l
The fifth generation of mobile technology will
definitely bring many changes in digital
marketing. For 5G users, the content will be
higher quality, faster, more impressive. At the
same time, older technologies will become more
accessible, which will increase the number of
people who have access to internet services.

11. VIDEO CONTENT
• 7 0 % o f c o n s u m e r s say that they have shared a
brand’s video.
• 7 2 % o f b u s i n e s s e s say that video has improved
their conversion rate.
• 5 2 % o f c o n s u m e r s say that watching product
videos makes them more confident in online purchase
decisions. In the same time, video is by far the most
popular way customers want to learn about new
products.
• F o r 7 0 % o f B 2 B m a r k e t e r s , content creation
is the top investment for 2021

12. With 8 1 % o f c o n s u m e r s s t r o n g l y f e e l i n g
c o m p a n i e s s h o u l d h e l p i m p r o v e t h e
e n v i r o n m e n t , what we’re seeing is a popularity boost for
sustainable and eco-friendly brands, especially for younger
consumers.
Whether we are talking about caring for the environment or
other aspects of social responsibility, in 2021 brands must
appraise values more than ever, with an emphasis on an
irreproachable ethic and a fully cultivated sense of empathy.
SUSTAINABILITY AND
ETHICS

13. DIGITAL EVENTS
“ T h e p a n d e m i c w i l l c o n t i n u e t o f u e l g r o w t h i n
VIDEO CONTENT, WEBINARS, AND
VIRTUAL EVENTS.
M o s t c o m p a n i e s w i l l d e s i g n a t e a “ t a l k i n g
h e a d ” a n d / o r s p e c i f i c t e a m m e m b e r s t o h o s t
a l l s u c h e x p e r i e n c e s .”
___
T i m H a y d e n , B r a i n + Tr u s t P a r t n e r s
As many big events have been moved to 2021 in hopes of fewer
restrictions in terms of health and safety and many more have
been organized via Zoom or different Webinar platforms, we
expect 2021 to bring a similar challenge for many brands, at least
for the first 6-8 months of the year.

14. INTERACTIVE CONTENT
VIA AR AND VR
To keep their consumers engaged and to offer them superior
interaction experiences, brands will opt in 2021 for more
interactive content and immersive experiences.
Beyond interaction through features such as quizzes and polls,
we will see more and m o r e a u g m e n t e d r e a l i t y a d s ,
3 6 0 - d e g r e e v i d e o s , 3 D i l l u s t r a t i o n s ,
a p p l i c a t i o n s t h a t s i m u l a t e r e a l - w o r l d v i s i o n .

15. PART OF THE COMMUNITY
With fewer travel opportunities, delayed deliveries from
distant parts of the world, and the desire to sustain the local
economy, c o n s u m e r s h a v e t u r n e d t o l o c a l
b u s i n e s s e s i n 2 0 2 0 .
This trend will certainly continue in 2021 and will be adapted
not only by consumers, but also by the brands themselves,
which will be oriented towards supporting each other.
In 2021, brands, like people, must be part of the community -
to join the conversation, to offer solutions, to show empathy,
to put aside the spirit of competition f o r t h e c o m m o n
g o o d .

16. If you haven't already, add these three things to your
marketing plan for 2020 now:
VIDEO & RICH CONTENT,
USE OF TECHNOLOGY,
SEARCH RELEVANCY.
The huge growth of online consumption & technology
adoption from 2020 raised the bar for all marketing
strategies to become even more digital. Even more
conversational. Even more mobile."
- I o a n a , C o F o u n d e r &
M a r k e t i n g S t r a t e g i s t o f
K I T E
“

17. KEY STATS &
TRENDS
TO GUIDE YOUR
2021 PLANNING

18. There are 4 game changing moments that really matter.
In these moments, consumers want what they want, when they want it – and
they’re drawn to brands that deliver on their needs.
I-want-to-know
moments:
When someone is
exploring or
researching, but is not
necessarily in purchase
mode.
I-want-to-go
moments:
When someone is
looking for a local
business or is
considering buying a
product at a nearby
store.
I-want-to-do
moments:
When someone wants
help completing a task
or trying something
new.
I-want-to-buy
moments:
When someone is ready
to make a purchase and
may need help deciding
what to buy or how to buy
it.

19. ONLINE CONTENT ACTIVITIES
PERCENTAGE OF GLOBAL INTERNET USERS AGED 16 TO 64 WHO CONSUME EACH
KING OF CONTENT VIA THE INTERNET EACH MONTH
WATCH ONLINE
VIDEOS
WATCH
VLOGS
LISTENING TO MUSIC
STREAMING SERVICES
LISTEN TO ONLINE
RADIO STATIONS
90% 53% 73% 47%
LISTEN TO
PODCASTS
43%
* SOURCE: GLOBALWEINDEX (Q2 2020). Figures represent the findings of a broad survey of internet users aged 16 to 64. See GLOBALWEBINDEX.COM for more details.

20. INFLUENCER MARKETING
GLOBAL SPEND
HIGHER SPEND
FORECAST
LOWER SPEND
FORECAST
AD
SPEND
IN
BILLIONS

21. LESS
SAME AMOUNT
MORE
QUESTION:
How often
will you use
your voice
devices in
the future?
18-24
25-64
SMARTPHONE
SPEAKER
TABLET
WEARABLE
16%
9%
14%
7%
7%
12%
27%
30%
38%
30%
29%
17%
57%
61%
48%
63%
64%
71%

22. B2B: HOW DECISION MAKERS DISCOVER NEW BRANDS
PERCENTAGE OF B2B DECISION MAKERS WHO SAY THEY DISCOVER NEW PRODUCTS AND
SERVICES THROUGH EACH CHANNEL OR ACTIVITY
• SOURCE: GLOBALWEINDEX WORK SURVEY (Q2 2020). Figures represent the findings of a broad global survey of workers aged 16-64. See GLOBALWEBINDEX.COM for more details.
• NOTE: respondents could choose more than one option.
CONFERENCES, TRADE SHOWS AND EVENTS
RECOMMENDATION FROM ECPERTS IN MY NETWORK
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS
SUPPLIER WEBSITES
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM INDUSTRY ANALYSTS
SUPPLIER CALLS, DEMOS OR TRIALS
SEARCH ENGINE RESULTS
VIDEO SITES (E.G. YOUTUBE)
SOCIAL MEDIA
PRINTED NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES
ONLINE NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES
USER REVIEWS
ONLINE ADS
BLOGS
TELEVISION ADS
RADIO ADS
45.8%
44.4%
44.2%
42.9 %
42.7 %
42.0 %
40.6 %
37.6 %
36.6 %
36.4 %
36.3 %
36.0 %
35.9 %
34.7 %
34.0 %
28.1%

23. THE WORLD’S MOST-USED SOCIAL PLATFORMS
BASED ON MONTHLY ACTIVE USERS, ACTIVE USER ACCOUNTS
OR ADDRESSABLE ADVERTISING AUDIENCES (IN MILLIONS)
* SOURCE: KEPIOS ANALYSIS; company statements and earnings announcements; platforms’ self-service advertising tools; (all latest data available in oct 2020)
NOTE: platforms identified by (*) have not published updated user numbers in the past 12 months, so figures will be less reliable. Figures for platforms identified by (**) are based on the latest advertising audience reach figures reported
in each respective platform’s self-service advertising tools (oct 2020). Figure for TikTok does not include DOUYIN.
FACEBOOK
YOUTUBE*
WHATSAPP
FB MESSENGER*
WEIXIN / WECHAT
INSTAGRAM**
TIKTOK
QQ
DOUTIN
SINA WEIBO
QZONE*
SNAPCHAT**
REDDIT
KUAISHOU
PINTEREST
TELEGRAM
TWITTER**
QUORA
2701
2000
2000
1300
1206
1158
689
648
600
523
517
433
430
430
416
400
353
300

24. Change does not begin today. The change is already
happening. The storm brought by the pandemic in 2020
produced shocks in all industries of the world, and digital
marketing is no exception.
PREPARING FOR 2021
MEANS PREPARING FOR
THE UNFORESEEN.
W e a r e r e a d y .
H o w a b o u t y o u ?